(Admonition 11.) Differently to be
admonished are the kindly-disposed and the envious. For the
kindly-disposed are to be admonished so to rejoice in what is good in
others as to desire to have the like as their own; so to praise with
affection the deeds of their neighbours as also to multiply them by
imitation, lest in this stadium of the present life they assist at the
contest of others as eager backers, but inert spectators, and remain
without a prize after the contest, in that they toiled not in the
contest, and should then regard with sorrow the palms of those in the
midst of whose toils they stood idle. For indeed we sin greatly
if we love not the good deeds of others: but we win no reward if
we imitate not so far as we can the things which we love.
Wherefore the kindly-disposed should be told that if they make no haste
to imitate the good which they applaud, the holiness of virtue pleases
them in like manner as the vanity of scenic exhibitions of skill
pleases foolish spectators: for these extol with applauses the
performances of charioteers and players, and yet do not long to be such
as they see those whom they praise to be. They admire them for
having done pleasing things, and yet they shun pleasing in like
manner. The kindly-disposed are to be told that when they behold
the deeds of their neighbours they should return to their own heart,
and presume not on actions which are not their own, nor praise what is
good while they refuse to do it. More heavily, indeed, must those
be smitten by final vengeance who have been pleased by that which they
would not imitate.

The envious are to be admonished how great is
their blindness who fail by other men’s advancement, and pine
away at other men’s rejoicing; how great is their unhappiness who
are made worse by the bettering of their neighbour, and in beholding
the increase of another’s prosperity are uneasily vexed within
themselves, and die of the plague of their own heart. What can be
more unhappy than these, who, when touched by the sight of happiness,
are made more wicked by the pain of seeing it? But, moreover, the
good things of others which they cannot have they might, if they loved
them, make their own. For indeed all are constituted together in
faith as are many members in one body; which are indeed diverse as to
their office, but in mutually agreeing with each other are made
one. Whence it comes to pass that the foot sees by the eye, and
the eyes walk by the feet; that the hearing of the ears serves the
mouth, and the tongue of the mouth concurs with the ears for their
benefit; that the belly supports the hands, and the hands work for the
belly. In the very arrangement of the body, therefore, we learn
what we should observe in our conduct. It is, then, too shameful
not to act up to what we are. Those things, in fact, are ours
which we love in others, even though we cannot follow them; and what
things are loved in us become theirs that love them. Hence, then,
let the envious consider of how great power is charity, which makes
ours without labour works of labour not our own. The envious are
therefore to be told that, when they fail to keep themselves from
spite, they are being sunk into the old wickedness of the wily
foe. For of him it is written, But by envy of the devil death
entered into the world (Wisd. ii. 24). For, because he had
himself lost heaven, he envied it to created man, and, being himself
ruined, by ruining others he heaped up his own damnation. The
envious are to be admonished, that they may learn to how great slips of
ruin growing under them they are liable; since, while they cast not
forth spite out of their heart, they are slipping down to open
wickedness of deeds. For, unless Cain had envied the accepted
sacrifice of his brother, he would never have come to taking away his
life. Whence it is written, And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering, but unto
Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very
wroth, and his countenance fell (Gen. iv. 4). Thus spite on account of
the sacrifice was the seed-plot of fratricide. For him whose
being better than himself vexed him he cut off from being at all.
The envious are to be told that, while they consume themselves with
this inward plague, they destroy whatever good they seem to have within
them. Whence it is written, Soundness of heart is the life of
the flesh, but envy the rottenness of the bones
(Prov. xiv.
30). For what is
signified by the flesh but certain weak and tender actions, and what by
the bones but brave ones? And for the most part it comes to pass
that some, with innocence of heart, in some of their actions seem weak;
but others, though performing some stout deeds before human eyes, still
pine away inwardly with the pestilence of envy towards what is good in
others. Wherefore it is well said, Soundness of heart is the
life of the flesh; because, if innocence of mind is kept, even such
things as are weak outwardly are in time strengthened. And
rightly it is there added, Envy is the rottenness of the bones;
because through the vice of spite what seems strong to human eyes
perishes in the eyes of
33bGod. For the
rotting of the bones through envy means that certain even strong things
utterly perish.